This invention relates to temperature management, specifically to limiting the temperature rise within an aircraft ground power connector.
Presently, a parked aircraft receives external electrical energy via a ground power cable provided with an electrical plug. (By "ground" power cable is meant a cable connected to power on the ground at an airport rather than power provided by an aircraft visiting such airport.) The ground power plug is installed to a mating receptacle complimentary power connector 53 on the aircraft, thus completing the connection from a ground power source to the aircraft.
Conditions exist wherein the electrical power contacts, either on the ground power plug or on the aircraft receptacle have become unfit for service because of wear or physical damage.
Often, the wear or damage goes unnoticed and an unfit connector is put into service. The damage manifests itself in the form of excessive electrical contact resistance with attendant energy loss in the form of heat. Power levels for aircraft electrical service are high, thus poor connections are able to produce a large amount of destructive heat in a brief period. The heat produced can and does cause costly damage to the aircraft as well as to ground power plug assembly.
At present, no known attempt has been made to automatically prevent the application of an unserviceable connector, either on the aircraft or ground equipment. Manual inspection tools are available, but are employed only if connector damage is noticed or during periodic inspection.
This invention automatically causes the removal of electrical energy from a connector that is experiencing excessive temperature rise, thus minimizing the risk of thermal damage to the aircraft or ground equipment.